2019–2020 · Hyper Naked · Buyer's Guide
Triple Fury, Fully Adjustable
Triumph's Speed Triple RS takes the 1050 cc inline-three about as far as this platform goes: 148 hp at 10,500 rpm, 86 lb-ft at 7,150 rpm, and a spread of drive underneath that makes the peak numbers almost beside the point. The chassis backs it up properly. Fully adjustable Öhlins NIX30 forks up front, an Öhlins TTX36 shock at the rear, and an aluminum beam frame holding it all square. Cornering ABS, traction control and ride modes sit underneath the ride-by-wire throttle maps, so the electronics cover you without sanding the character off. Twin bug-eye lamps and the red trellis subframe make it unmistakable in a car park.
It rides like a hyper naked built around its engine rather than around a spec sheet. Wet weight is 454 lb, the seat sits at 32.5 in, and cruise control, a slipper clutch and a TFT dash make it civil enough to reach the good roads without resenting the trip. This is a bike for a rider who already knows what they want from a fast back road, and who values character as much as output. The honest caveat is the front brake. Lever feel can go soft on some bikes, and repeated bleeding does not always cure it permanently.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 148 hp (110 kW) @ 10,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 86 lb-ft (117 Nm) @ 7,150 rpm |
| Displacement | 1050 cc |
| Engine | Inline-three |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 120/70-17 |
| Rear tire | 190/55-17 |
| Wheelbase | 56.9 in (1445 mm) |
| Seat height | 32.5 in (825 mm) |
| Wet weight | 454 lb (206 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.1 gal (15.5 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Safety
Swing a leg over and the seat height plus the wide bars put you in a mild forward lean, wrists loaded just enough to feel intentional rather than punishing. The triple settles into an offbeat idle you feel through the tank as much as you hear it. At real road pace the vibration stays busy instead of numbing, a fine texture through the pegs and grips that keeps you plugged into what the bike is doing. The claimed 454 lb feels lighter than it reads the moment you are rolling, and the Öhlins damping takes the edge off broken pavement without ever going vague. The TFT is easy to scan in one glance. What stays with you after an hour is the noise, induction and exhaust layering into a sound that has you cracking the visor open just to hear more of it.
Nothing here comes from my own miles. It is what has reached me over the years: paddock talk, club nights, owners stopping me with questions, and a steady stream of messages from people living with the bike. The pattern barely shifts from one rider to the next.
Two subjects dominate. The chassis is one: riders describe a machine that changes direction easily and holds a line without protest, settled enough that plenty of them take it to the track and come back grinning. The motor is the other. The word that repeats is smooth, with usable drive low in the rev range and a hard finish up top that keeps ex-sportbike riders interested. Stopping power draws steady approval as well. A quieter thread credits the reworked triple with putting real daylight between this bike and the older R.
The brakes also draw the loudest complaint. Owners report a front lever that needs a second pull before it firms up, and say bleeding does not keep the problem away. Fuel range is the second recurring gripe: a small tank feeding a thirsty motor makes for frequent stops. Fewer voices describe electronic failures, radiator leaks and gearbox damage, mostly on early bikes.
Front brake pad friction material detachment (recall SRAN579)
In affected units, the front brake pads may corrode, causing the friction material to detach from the backing plate, which can significantly increase stopping distance and lead to a crash.
Quickshifter interference causing missed gears or false neutrals (recall 19V815)
The quickshifter assembly body may contact the linkage clamp, interfering with gear changes and potentially causing a missed gear or false neutral, increasing the risk of loss of control.
Front brake lever sponginess requiring frequent bleeding
Some owners report that the Brembo brake system develops a spongy lever feel, requiring double-pumping to build pressure. Repeated bleeding does not always permanently resolve the issue, suggesting a design flaw with caliper piston seals or master cylinder.
Coolant and oil leaks from radiator and hoses
A minority of owners have experienced coolant leaks from the radiator or hoses, and oil weeping from the engine, often manifesting during break-in or in stop-and-go traffic.
Where this Triumph Speed Triple RS pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Speed Triple RS is actually built for.
Angeles Crest suits this bike. Strong drive off second-gear corners, a fork that tells you what the front tire is doing, and more lean angle than most riders will ever ask for.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
On the Dragon and the Blue Ridge you change direction constantly. The low-end pull lets you stay a gear high and concentrate on lines instead of the tachometer. Skill work, not straight-line bravado.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
It will do trackdays honestly, with fully adjustable Öhlins at both ends and ride modes to suit the grip. Just accept the upright bars and the wind blast that comes with a naked bike.
Made for Barber Motorsports Park · WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca · Circuit of the Americas
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Triumph Speed Triple RS. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Successor · 2021–2024
All Pull, No Drama
Competitor · 2015–2020
V4 Brutality, Surprisingly Livable
About the same used price as this bike at 7 yr
Competitor · 2014–2019
The Beast That Actually Works
About the same used price as this bike at 7 yr
Same Platform · 2019
148 Horses of Triple Soul
Roughly $2,400 cheaper used than this bike at 7 yr